The Role of Decontextualized Language

Contextualized Language“Be Prepared”

From The Lion KingTim Rice and Elton John

Contextualized Language: Be Prepared!

Decontextualized Language

• Written language is DECONTEXTUALIZED• Written language uses words to create a world that does

not exist in the here and now• The reader/listener does not have the benefit of a common

reference point• The reader/listener does not have the benefit of other,

contextualized aspects of oral language: Gestures, facial expressions, oral tone

• Meaning has to be created from words!

Oral versus Written LanguageOn a small tropical island, the sun rose high above the steamy jungle. A mother python was sending her hatchlings out into the forest the way all mother pythons do. “Grow up big and green—as green as the trees’ leaves,” she called to her little yellow babies as they happily scattered among the trees.

(From: Verdi, by Janell Cannon)

This is decontextualized: You need to create the scene from the words. Although the pictures help, here are not always pictures!

I went to the park with Joey and we played on the swings, and Joey did this to me (demonstrates). My mom didn’t like that.

This is contextualized. You need to be there to understand

Inference in Decontextualized Language

Puff

Creating Meaning from Decontextualized Language Requires Visualization

• Visualization requires understanding langauge

What is an Inference?• A judgment or conclusion we make based on

evidence we have• The conclusion is not something that we have

read or found directly• We must put pieces together and come up

with something not there already

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What kind of inferences?

Reggie began to tell a ghost story: “Once there was this ghost and he lived in a haunted house only

he did most of the haunting himself. This house was empty except for this ghost because nobody wanted to go near this house, they were so afraid of this ghost. And every night this ghost would walk around this house and make all kinds of clunky, creeky sounds. Aroomp! Aroomp!”

• How does Ira feel right now?

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Stellaluna quickly clambered from the nest and hung out of sight below it. She listened to the babble of the three birds.

“What was that?” cried Flip.“I don’t know, but it’s hanging by its feet,” chirped Flitter.

• How do the birds feel about this thing they found hanging by its feet?- Author: emphasizes “that,” hanging by its feet.- Student BK: italics means stress, in this case something is odd; birds do not hang by their feet; birds would not know what was hanging by its feet; birds and bats have different habits.

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“Hello,” said Verdi. “Do you want to climb trees with me?” “I’m tired,” Dozier growled. “Go do a few laps around the jungle Okay?”

• Are the Greens going to climb trees with Verdi?

- Text 1: Verdi asks Greens to play- Text 2: Dozier tells Verdi that he is tired- Text 3: Dozier tells Verdi to do laps

Inferences based on two parts of the text: Basic

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“And now that you have been here a few weeks, I’m going to leave you in charge for a few days while I go over the mountain to get the rest of my equipment. Now sit down and listen carefully while I explain how to run everything.”

• How will things go for Big Anthony when Strega Amelia is away?

- Beginning of story: Big Anthony does not pay attention.

- Current: Strega Amelia tells Anthony to listen to what she has to say. Anthony will be in charge while Strega

Amelia is away.

• Inferences based on two parts of the text: More complex

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The role of Referents and Dialogue in Inferring

What is a referent?• A word or group of words used in place

of another word or group of words• Often a pronoun, but not always

Examples: • Mother said, “I’m going to the store,” then she left.• We just got a new puppy. That ball of energy is taking over our

lives.

What do referents and dialogue have to do with inferring?

• It’s hard to infer when you don’t know who is talking or what they are talking about.

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“That’s weird,” said Annie. “I don’t hear any birds.” She was right. The grove was strangely silent.“Don’t worry about it,” said Jack. “Maybe they’re all

at the beach.”

• What does Annie think is weird? • Why is that weird? • Who is at the beach?

Mary Pope Osborne (1998). Vacation Under the Volcano. New York: Scholastic, p. 15-16.

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I never raised my hand to answer a question, but when Miss Stickley called on me, I had to say something. My English wasn’t perfect yet, so Elizabeth always giggled at whatever I said. Miss Stickley would stare at her, and then she’d shut up.

• What does Elizabeth think of the narrator’s English?

• How does Mrs. Stickley react to the narrator’s situation?

.

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Good primary literature authors try to clarify referents:

Toad read a long story to his seeds. All the next day Toad sang songs to his seeds. And all the next day Toad read poems to his

seeds. And all the next day Toad played music to his

seeds. Toad looked at the ground. The seeds still did

not start to grow.

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But referents are hard to avoid:“Drat!” said Toad.“My seeds have not started to grow.They must be afraid of the dark.”Toad went out to his garden with some candles. “I will read the seeds a story,” said Toad. Then they will not be afraid.”

Lobel, A. (1971), “The Garden.” In Frog and Toad Together. New York: Harper Collins, p. 24.

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And may be more challenging in expository text:

• Some trees have long thin leaves that look like needles. (Picture of evergreen trees in summer)

• Pine trees and fir trees have needles like this. (Picture of pine branches/needles)

• These trees stay green all year long.(Picture of evergreens in winter)

How do students know that:• trees that stay green all year long are the same trees as what

they saw before?• trees that stay green are pine and fur trees?• trees that stay green have needles?

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Dialogue

• The speaker within a text is not always clearly marked (e.g. “said John”)

• Sometimes it’s hard to figure out who is talking when more than one speaker is involved in conversation if the text is not clearly marked.

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Dialogue is more clearly marked in primary literature:

Toad knocked at the door.“Hello,” said Frog.“Look at my list of things to do,” said Toad.

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But not perfectly:

Toad said, “My list tells me that we will go for a walk.”“All right,” said Frog. “I am ready.”

Who is ready? How do you know?